Yet I Will Rejoice

Good morning Church! If you have your Bible and I hope that you do, please turn with me to Habakkuk 3. Habakkuk 3. We are looking at what happens at the end. When we don’t get the answer we want. When we’ve petitioned the Lord and He’s given us an answer and we don’t like it. What will our response to Him be like?

I want you to picture a 15 year old standing in the kitchen on Friday night. They’ve been watching their parents drive for years. They’ve taken the course, they’ve done the driving. They say, “Mom, Dad, I’m ready. Give me the keys so I can go hang out with my friends.”

The dad says, “No… not yet.” So the teen pushes back, “But I know how! My friends are all out driving! You don’t trust me! You’re trying to hold me back!”

From the teen’s perspective, the “no” feel restrictive. From the father’s perspective, the “no” is protective. The son sees it as freedom. The parents want to see growing maturity. They don’t want to take unnecessary risks. The teen hears rejection, the parent sees it as love.

Now, let’s take it a step further: let’s say that the parents know that their teen isn’t ready, but they also know that they know a road near their home is particularly dangerous? Let’s say they know the tires are worn and the brakes need replacing. Maybe they know that the freedom would shape their child into someone careless?

The teen’s knowledge is partial. The parent’s knowledge is fuller. When God says “No” to our requests, it’s not because He lacks information. It is because He has possesses perfect wisdom.

So the teen has a choice to make here: they can either rebel by sneaking the keys, being bitter, accusing their parents of being unfair OR they can trust their parents. They can accept the delay, grow in maturity, and prepare for the day when the answer becomes “yes”.

Today we’re going to see five actions we need to take when God says no. When He tells us to wait. When we have to delay.

Let’s stand in honor of God’s Word as we read Habakkuk 3:1-19

Habakkuk 3:1–19 ESV

1 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to Shigionoth. 2 O Lord, I have heard the report of you, and your work, O Lord, do I fear. In the midst of the years revive it; in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy. 3 God came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah His splendor covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. 4 His brightness was like the light; rays flashed from his hand; and there he veiled his power. 5 Before him went pestilence, and plague followed at his heels. 6 He stood and measured the earth; he looked and shook the nations; then the eternal mountains were scattered; the everlasting hills sank low. His were the everlasting ways. 7 I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction; the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble. 8 Was your wrath against the rivers, O Lord? Was your anger against the rivers, or your indignation against the sea, when you rode on your horses, on your chariot of salvation? 9 You stripped the sheath from your bow, calling for many arrows. Selah You split the earth with rivers. 10 The mountains saw you and writhed; the raging waters swept on; the deep gave forth its voice; it lifted its hands on high. 11 The sun and moon stood still in their place at the light of your arrows as they sped, at the flash of your glittering spear. 12 You marched through the earth in fury; you threshed the nations in anger. 13 You went out for the salvation of your people, for the salvation of your anointed. You crushed the head of the house of the wicked, laying him bare from thigh to neck. Selah 14 You pierced with his own arrows the heads of his warriors, who came like a whirlwind to scatter me, rejoicing as if to devour the poor in secret. 15 You trampled the sea with your horses, the surging of mighty waters. 16 I hear, and my body trembles; my lips quiver at the sound; rottenness enters into my bones; my legs tremble beneath me. Yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble to come upon people who invade us. 17 Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. 19 God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places. To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments.

The third chapter of Habakkuk is unique because it changes literary genres and takes place many years after the events of chapters 1 and 2. By the writing here, this prayer had become a song set to music. The word Shigionoth is uncertain as to its meaning. It could come from shagah mean’s “wayward” or it could imply a “wimpering” sound.

But verse 2 says “O LORD, I have heard the report of you, and your work, O LORD, do I fear. In the midst of the years revive it; in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy.”

This teaches us the first point I want to make today:

When You Don’t Understand, Pray for Revival

Habakkuk started this book confused and frustrated. He said, “O LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear?”, he said “why do you idly look at traitors and remain silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he?”

Now, Habakkuk says, “I have heard the report of you, and your work, O LORD, do I fear.”

Listen to me Christian… there are going to be seasons when you’re not going to understand what God is doing in your family. You will find yourself in times where you’re not going to understand what God is up to in the church or this nation. Those seasons of suffering may not make much sense to you as you’re walking through them.

Many times our first instinct is “Lord, stop this”. But Habakkuk teaches us, “Lord, revive us through this.” So instead of praying, “Remove the fire,” we should instead pray, “Lord refine us in the fire.”

1 Peter 1:6–7 ESV

6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Your sufferings are not chance or happenstance. When health fails or destruction looms, it is an opportunity for God to work, yes. But it’s also a time for you to grow. My children get really bad growing pains in their legs. We all deal with this from time to time. The pain can be excruciating for my kids. They suffer tremendously and yet, without the pain there is no growth. So your sufferings are a means which God uses to get you to grow! Don’t despise them, instead look to Christ, who will renew your soul with strength!

The revelation of God is what allows us strength to endure the seasons of suffering and that’s what Habakkuk does in these next several verses.

Habakkuk reminds himself of God’s work at Sinai. God came down in fire on the Mountain before Israel. Verses 3-6 uses Sinai language when Israel was delivered from slavery and oppression from Egypt.

Exodus 19:16–20 ESV

16 On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled. 17 Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. 18 Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly. 19 And as the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him in thunder. 20 The Lord came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. And the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.

He also reminds Himself of the actual Exodus event: God came and crushed Egypt with pestilence and plague, with

Habakkuk 3:8 ESV

8 Was your wrath against the rivers, O Lord? Was your anger against the rivers, or your indignation against the sea, when you rode on your horses, on your chariot of salvation?

and God came and saved His people from their sins. God turned the mighty Nile, the lifeblood of Egypt, to blood. He sent the plagues that sent Egypt into a dark age. He split the Red Sea and drowned Pharaoh’s army. God didn’t negotiate, He conquered and Habakkuk is reminding himself that the same God that could bring judgment to Egypt could bring Babylon to its knees.

Habakkuk recalls the sun standing still in the sky during the conquest of the Holy Land.

It was the Lord who drove out the wicked from the Promised Land. He is the one who

Habakkuk 3:12 ESV

12 You marched through the earth in fury; you threshed the nations in anger.

But I want to emphasize that Habakkuk sees in verse 13

Habakkuk 3:13 ESV

13 You went out for the salvation of your people, for the salvation of your anointed. You crushed the head of the house of the wicked, laying him bare from thigh to neck. Selah

This is an echo of an ancient promise found in Genesis 3:15

Genesis 3:15 ESV

15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

All of these victories are just previews because the ultimate victory happened at the cross of Jesus Christ. When Jesus died, it looked like Babylon had won, but the cross is God’s greatest act of conquest. The head of Satan was crushed. Sin was judged. Death was defeated! Remember where Habakkuk saw shadows and promises we get to see fulfillment and hope!

The second action I want you to take is

When You Feel Hopeless, Remember Who Is In Charge

You might look at your financial situation and just think, “I don’t know how next Friday is going to look.” and you feel pretty hopeless. Perhaps you have a rebellious child and you’re not how God is going to work. Perhaps you’re exhausted at our culture and underwhelmed by politicians. Listen, all those things are totally real. They’re terrible!

For Habakkuk, Babylon is coming. They’re still a real threat but He chooses to magnify the Lord above it all. You see, you don’t overcome your fears by minimizing your concerns. That’s worldly strategies and they don’t work well. The way you overcome your fears is not by minimizing concerns but by magnifying God.

You have financial fears? Take it to the Faithful Provider. You have cultural concerns? Magnify the Sovereign King. You have a personal sin, overcome it by abiding in the Gracious Savior.

Many people battle with hopelessness because they have a small view of God and as a result, the issues seem much bigger than they actually are. When the power of God shrinks in your mind, everything else tends to expand.

So let me ask you some questions: if something goes wrong in your life is your first instinct to pray or panic? What takes up mental space: your problems or God’s promises?

Imagine holding a pebble right up against your eye. It blocks my whole field of vision and obscures everything else. As it gets further away, does it get smaller? No. It stays the same size. It’s still real. But it’s not dominating my focus. Stepping back and entrusting the Lord allows us to see things as they actually are.

Let’s look at verse 16

Habakkuk 3:16 ESV

16 I hear, and my body trembles; my lips quiver at the sound; rottenness enters into my bones; my legs tremble beneath me. Yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble to come upon people who invade us.

Habakkuk is still scared. Many times we may believe that fear is the absence of faith, but I’m not totally sold on that. Fear may come for a visit for a believer, but it must never make its home in your heart.

Psalm 56:3 ESV

3 When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.

It’s not “If” I am afraid, it’s “when”. So faith seems to be the antidote for fear.

Psalm 27:1–3 ESV

1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? 2 When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall. 3 Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.

On the sea of Galilee the disciples were crossing the dangerous sea with its notoriously strong and dangerous storms. The disciples were afraid and said, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.”

Matthew 8:26 ESV

26 And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.

The third action I want to point you to is:

When You’re Afraid, Choose to Trust God

Even if you body is trembling like Habakkuk’s, faith overrules our fear. So how can you do that?

Be real with God and yourself.

Habakkuk doesn’t pretend everything’s okay. He says, “My bones are shaking.” So maybe you need to stop pretending that you’re strong enough and admit your fear to God. Spiritual maturity doesn’t mean you’re emotionally denying things. Admit to the Lord that you’re anxious or overwhelmed. Tell him you’re fearful and you don’t know how this ends. That’s not unbelief. That’s honesty!

2. Anchor your fear in God’s truth.

Fears shout. Faith answers back. Fear says, “What if everything goes wrong?” Faith says, “The Lord is my strength and my portion,” Fear says, “You won’t get out of this.” Faith says “The Lord is my Shepherd.” Fear says, “You are all alone.” Faith says, “Jesus promised, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’”

3. Walk in Obedience

This is the hard part. Faith doesn’t wait for your feelings to get in line. Habakkuk says, “I’m trembling with fear but I will quietly wait.” I’m going to obey before relief comes. Some of you wait to feel calm before obedience but that’s not courageous obedience.

Obedience is trusting the Lord even in the trembling. It’s found in Christ at the Garden as He prayed and sweat mingled with blood ran down and He prayed, “Not my will, but Your’s Lord be done.” It’s Paul in prison. It’s Habakkuk here. You will find yourself in situations where you say, “I don’t see how this ends well,” Fear puts a period there but faith finishes the thought, “but I know Who writes the ending.”

But you know what? God has already shared the ending. Judah is going to be taken by Babylon. It’s going to be a bad event in all of redemptive history. The temple will be destroyed. Your young men are going to be taken away.

What do you do when the loved one passes or a sickness is confirmed? What if your plans fall through or financial ruin does come?

Listen to what Habakkuk says because this is so important. It’s very Job-esque.

Habakkuk 3:17–18 ESV

17 Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.

No figs. No grapes. No olives. No sheep. No cattle. For the Jews this meant no income. No food. No stability. Let’s put this in modern terms. Though accounts get drained, jobs disappear, reputations suffer, culture decays, or the church loses members “yet I will rejoice in the Lord!”

It’s not about the recovery or God’s provision. It’s not, about the outcome. He rejoices in God Himself! So here’s the fourth action:

When Everything Fails, Decide To Rejoice In the Lord

Here’s the “let’s get real” question. If God removed His blessings from you and you’re left with nothing but Him, would that be enough for you? How you answer that question is important because it reveals whether you love God or you love what God gives. Do you love His blessings or His covenant?

Look at verse 19

Habakkuk 3:19 ESV

19 God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places. To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments.

Notice the progression of Habakkuk: He has moved from a problem centered view, to a God-centered view. He has moved from complaining and lamenting to glorifying and rejoicing.

This leads to the fifth and final action:

When You Are Weak, Find Your Strength In the Lord

Habakkuk writes, “The Lord is my strength.” He doesn’t say “The Lord gives me strength.” That’s different.

God doesn’t give us strength so we can remain in our sin. He doesn’t want His people to be focused on primarily the external issues, but to focus on the Lord and live for Him!

Notice that Habakkuk uses some interesting phraseology here, “he makes me tread on my high places.” High places were places where idol worship occured in Israel. Some of you don’t want strength to destroy your idols, but to damage them.

“High places” were enemy territory. They were what caused Judah to fall in the first place. What are some of your high places? Control? Financial security? Your child’s success at all costs? God has given you strength in Christ so you can destroy those idols. Notice God gives strength to do this. He doesn’t flatten the mountain for us. He could, but He wants us to see the victory. God promises sure footing. Do you ask God to remove the climb or strength for your feet?

Habakkuk has changed a lot. Babylon hasn’t changed. The circumstances haven’t. But His vision of God has. Habakkuk saw that God is coming. God saves completely. He reigns and is enough. But what do people see in your life?

Does your joy in Christ only exists when the economy is good? When the kids are all healthy? When the church is growing? When life is stable? Well then your joy is fragile. Habakkuk said that the righteous live by faith, not figs. Not by flocks. Not by favorable headlines. Not by a stable economy. Not by a smooth life. By faith.

Habakkuk didn’t get the answer he wanted. Babylon was still on it’s way, judgment was still happening. Exile was real. The future was still hard but something had changed.

Habakkuk moved from demanding that God change his circumstances to trusting that God was enough in them and that’s the point of this chapter. Babylon didn’t shrink, his vision of God grew and when God grows in your vision, fear shrinks to its proper size.

Church, we have even more reason to rejoice than Habakkuk did. He looked forward to the crushing of the serpent’s head. We look back to the cross of Jesus Christ.

At Calvary it looked like Babylon had won but that was the moment God won the ultimate victory. If Christ has conquered sin and death, what storm is too big for Him now?

Head

God wants you to know that He is enough even when everything else fails.

Heart

God wants you to believe that your joy must be rooted in Him, not in His gifts.

Hand

God wants you to trust Him in the trembling, rejoice in Him in the loss, and find your strength in Christ.